Barrel-locking device for breakdown guns.



PATENTED JAN. 16, 1906-.

A. H. FOX. BARREL LOCKING DEVICE FOR BREAKDOWN GUNS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.12,1905.

INVENTOR i V/ fix 555g:- mm,

Alforney lonrrap STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BARREL-LOCKING DEVICE FOR BREAKDOWN GUNS.

Specification of Letters Patent,

Patented Jan. 16, 1906.

Application filed August 12, 1905. Serial No. 273.878

To all whom it vnay concern:

Be it known that I, ANSLEY H. Fox, of the city and county ofPhiladelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have'invented an Improvement inBarrel-Locking Devices for Breakdown Guns, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention has reference to barrel-locking devices for breakdown guns;and it consists of certain improvements which are fully set forth in thefollowing specification and shown in the accompanying drawings, whichform apart thereof.

The invention described in this application is more particularly animprovement upon my invention set out in Letters Patent No. 796,119,granted to me on August 1, 1905.

The object of my invention is to provide specific improvements in themeans for operating the rotary locking-bolt, whereby a minimum frictionwill be produced between certain of the parts and whereby certain otherof the parts may be readily removed for accessibility for purposes ofproper adjustment in the manufacture and assembling of the gun and alsofor repairs.

My invention will be better understood by reference to the drawings, inWhlCh Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the breechportion of a gun embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a cross-section ofsame on line 2 2. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of a portion of sameon line 3 3, and Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the lockingbolt and itsoperating mechanism separated from the breech-frame.

The breech-frame A has the barrels B hinged to it at C and is providedwith the upwardlyextending portion A, containing the lockingbolt D,which in the particular illustration is of the rotary construction. Thelocking-bolt D consists of a cylindrical body rotating on an axissubstantially parallel to the axis of the bore of the barrels andprovided with the locking part (Z, adapted to be moved through the slotor aperture 5 in the rear projection of the barrels B. This rotarylocking-bolt D is given a rotary reciprocatory motion by an arm orpendulum lever G, journaled therein and hinged to a vertical rockingspindle E on a transverse axis H. The spindle E is arranged immediatelyat the rear of the breechframe A A and is journaled therein at the upperend at c, and said end is provided with a lever F, adapted to beoperated by hand for unlocking the barrels in the act of breaking downthe gun. The lower end of the spindle E is provided with a stud J, whichis journaled in an eye-bearing I and mounted with a nut K below thebearing for holding the spindle down in place. Theeye-bearing I isprovided with a screw-threaded shank, which is screwed into the rearwall of the breech-frame.

The pendulum-lever G, which operates the bolt, is provided on its freeor forward end with the ball-shaped head G, which takes a bearing in thecylindrical end of the aperture D in the bolt, thereby making a contactonly in a circular line and permitting more or less free movement of thependulum-lever without creating objectionable friction with the.

rotary bolt. The ball-shaped head makes connection with the rotary boltmidway between its ends, so that the power is properly applied to rotatethe bolt within its bearing and without permitting excessive frictiondue to improper application of the power which rotates it.

For the purpose of holding the locking-bolt in unlocking position whenthe barrels are opened I employ a verticallyreciprocating trip R, whichworks in a hole S beneath the bolt. This trip-hole is continued downwardthrough the bottom of the breech-frame and of a diametersuflicient toenable the trip R and the spring R to be inserted or removed from thebottom. The hole S is closed at the bottom by a screw T, which holds thetriggerplate N to the bottom of the breech-frame. The upper part of thesaid screw acts as an abutment against which the spring R of the triprests. In this manner the trip and the spring may be readily removed foradjustment or repair by simply withdrawing the screw T. This is a mostimportant feature, because the trip must be very accuratelyadjustedrelatively to the rotary bolt, so as to be exactly timed in itsmovement under the action of its barrels in closing down into thebreech-frame, the extension back of the barrels being required todepress the trip R to release the bolt exactly at the moment that theaperture 5 of the said extension is in perfect alinement with the rotaryprong (Z of the bolt D, so that when the bolt is rocked the barrelsarelocked without any possibility of thesmallest vertical-movement.Itfrequently happens that the trip has to be removed several times andproperly shaped to secure the necessary adjustment before the assemblageof the gun can be considered perfect, and this has always been anexpensive operation because of the difficulty of reaching the trip,which could only be accomplished by removal of the locking-bolt and itsconnections. By my present improvement this adjustment can readily bemade, since it only requires the removal of the screw T to secure accessto the trip.

To one side of the spindle the breech-frame A is furnished with a holeN, opening rearwardly, and in this hole is arranged a coilspring 0 and afollower resting upon the spring and extending rearwardly somewhatbeyond the rear wall of the breech-frame. The spindle E is provided onits side with an arm or extension L, which is received upon the end ofthe follower M. By these means the coil-spring O, acting through thefollower causes the spindle to be rocked in a position to lock the gun.

The coil-spring O and follower M are located in the breech-frame betweenthe spindle E and hinge C of the barrels, and consequently is wellprotected, takes up no room in the stock, and is strong, durable, andnot liable to derangement.

The lateral arm L is preferably screwed into the spindle and is providedupon its free end with the ball-shaped head L, and the follower M isprovided with a spherical-shaped recess M to receive the ball-shapedhead of the arm L. The follower M is made of slightly smaller diameterthan the diameter of the aperture or hole N, so that it may have a veryslight rocking motion without contact with the side walls of saidaperture between the coil-spring and the arm L. The clearance betweenthe follower and the walls of the hole is very slight, but should besufficient to permit the rotary swinging movement of the arm L and itsball-shaped head without forcing the follower into binding contact withthe walls of the hole. The ball-and-socket connection between the partsL and M not only retain the follower in proper position in a transversedirection, but also in a vertical direction, so that no contact with theside walls of the hole would occur anywhere along the follower. Thisfeature'of construction is an important part of my invention.

It will be obvious that a rotation of the spindle E by the lever F will,through the arm L, impart a forward motion to the follower M and producea compression of the spring 0 in addition to the normal compressionunder which the spring is held. This compression of the spring 0 givesto it a force which is utilized to return the spindle E and lever F tonormal position and rotate the locking-bolt D and positively hold themin position when so thrown.

While I prefer to locate the spring 0 and breech-frame between thebarrel-hinge and the spindle, it is evident that I need not restrictmyself to that position of the parts, as by suitable modifications,which will be understood by any one skilled in the art of gunmaking, thesaid parts L, M, N,and O can be arranged in any other suitable positionsabout the spindle.

Vhile I prefer the employment of the screw T for holding thetrigger-plate in position and also sealing the bottom of the aperture orhole in which the trip and its coil-spring are located, Ido not confinemyself to sealing the bottom of this aperture by means of such screw, asany other means of closing the aperture and removal from the outside ofthe breech-frame would answer the requirements. It is also evident thatby varying the length of the screw the pressure of the spring may bevaried, so that if the spring is too strong the removal of a smallportion of the end of the screw would secure the requisite adjustment ofthe tension of the spring.

The several advantages of my improvements described in the foregoingspecification may be summarized as follows: The great difficulty offitting the pendulum-lever to the rotary bolt and spindle to enable itto move properly and without binding, which heretofore existed, isentirely overcome, as by boring the large taper hole D with smallcylindrical end and using a ball-shaped head G on the end of thependulum-lever G the fitting is reduced to a minimum and no accuracy isrequired in the pendulum-lever to the greater part of the hole. Thisalso enables a tapered shank to be employed for strength and obviatesthe necessity of accurately centering the pivot H of the pendulum-leverin the axial line of the rotary locking-bolt D. This construetionenables an ordinary workman to produce a more satisfactory mechanism,offering less resistance than was possible by a most skilled andhigh-priced workman with the former construction. The employment of theball-shaped head L, working in the socket M of the follower M, and theclearance between the follower and hole N, containing the spring 0,greatly reduces the friction, gives the spring full play, and largelyreduces the wear on the several parts, thereby increasing their life.The ball-shaped head L and socket M supports the follower in everydirection, and as the other end of the follower is supported by thespring it is not required to touch or be guided by the sides of the holeN. This construction is also simpler, more accurate, and requires lessskill and time to assemble. The employment of the hole S for the springR and trip R, opening through the bottom of the breech-frame and closedby the screw T, which holds the trigger-plate N in position, enables therapid rethe follower M forward of the spindle in the I moval andreplacement of the spring and trip without removing the rotarylocking-bolt, so that the filing or fitting of the trip to accuratelyadjust it to the extension of the barrels, which operates it to releasethe bolt D, may be accomplished at a minimum cost. By this means verylittle time is required to adjust and assemble the trip parts, and thetension of the spring B may also with equal facility be adjusted. Thesaving in time in making adjustments and assembling means greatly lesscost.

The minor details of construction may be modified without departing fromthe spirit of the invention.

Having now described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a breech-loading breakdown gun the breech-frame having a hole,combined with a locking-bolt arranged in the breech-frame for lockingthe barrels, an upright spindle journaled in the breech-frame and havinga lateral arm terminating in a ball-shaped head, aspring located in thehole in the breech-frame, a follower resting against the spring andhaving a diameter less than the diameter of the hole so as to form aclearance-space between it and the hole and also provided on its outerend with a concave recess into which the ballshaped head of the lateralarm is received, and a connection between the spindle and thelocking-bolt whereby the latter may beoperated by rocking the spindle.

2. In a breech-loading breakdown gun, the breech-frame having a hole,combined with a cylindrical rotary locking-bolt opened in thebreech-frame in line with its center for locking the barrels, an uprightspindlejournaled in the breech-frame and having a spring, a lateral armterminating in a ball-shaped head, a spring located in the hole in thebreechframe, a follower resting against the spring and having a diameterless than the diameter of the hole so as to form a clearance-spacebetween it and the hole and also provided on its outer end with aconcave recess into which the ball-shaped head of the lateral arm isreceived, and a connection between the spindle and the locking-boltconsisting of a pendulumlever having a ball-shaped head extending intothe body of the rotary locking-bolt and contacting therewith only at itscylindrical head whereby it may be operated by rocking the spindle.

3. In a breech-loading breakdown gun, the combination of thebarrels, arotary lockingbolt revolving on an axis substantially parallel to theaxis of the bore of the barrel and having an oblique hole I), a rockingspindle having a hand-lever by which to rock it, spring devices tonormally rock the spindle when the pressure on the hand-lever isreleased, and a pendulum-lever G hinged to the vertical rocking spindleon a transverse axis and provided on its end with a ball-shaped head Gwhich fits into the oblique aperture in the locking-bolt whereby thebolt is given a rotary motion and contact between the pendulum-lever andthe walls of the hole in the locking-bolt is prevented except adjacentto the ball-shaped head.

4. In a breech-loading breakdown gun the breech-frame combined witharotary locking-' bolt rotating on an axis substantially parallel to theaxis of the barrels, a rocking spindle journaled in the breech-frame tothe rear of the locking-bolt, and a pendulum-lever hinged to the rockingspindle and forming a ball-andsocket connection with the rotarylocking-bolt.

5. In a breech-loading breakdown gun, the combination of thebreech-frame, a lockingbolt for the barrels carried by the breechframe,an upright rocking spindle having a hand-lever and journaled in thebreech-frame and also having a lateral-extending arm terminating in aball-shaped head, a coil-spring carried by the breech-frame, a followerresting against the coil spring at one end and having the other endrecessed to receive the cylindrical-shaped head of the lateral arm ofthe spindle, and connections between the rockingspindle and thelocking-bolt.

6. In a breech-loading breakdown gun, the breechframe having a hole Sextending upwardly from the bottom, in combination with a rotarycylindrical locking-bolt arranged in the breech-frame, spring-controlledmeans for rotating the lockingbolt, a trip R arranged in the holeadapted to lock the locking-boltin open position, a coil spring Radapted to press the trip upward also arranged in the hole and removabletogether with the trip downward through the bottom of'the hole in thebreech-frame, and means for closing the lower part of thehole in thebreeclrframe for holding the said spring and trip within the said holeand putting the spring under tension.

7. In a breech-loading breakdown gun, the breech-frame having a hole Sextending upwardly from the bottom, in combination with a rotarycylindrical locking-bolt arranged in the breech-frame, spring-controlledmeans for rotating the locking-bolt, a trip R arranged in the holeadapted to lock the locking-bolt in open position, a coil-spring Radapted to press the trip upward also arranged in the hole and removabletogether with the trip downward through the hole in the breechframe, atrigger-plate fitting against the lower part of the breech-frame, andmeans for closing the lower part of the hole in the breechframe forholding the said spring and trip within the said hole and putting thespring under tension consisting of a screwl extending through thetrigger-plate and screwed into the lower part of the hole S.

8. In a breech-loading breakdown gun, the combination of a rotarylocking-bolt, springactuated means for rotating the bolt to lock thebarrels, a trip to look the locking-bolt in and applying a pressure tothe spring to ereits open position, a spring to move the trip ate anupward thrust upon the trip. into locking position, a breech-frameinclos- In testimony of which invention Ihereunto ing the rotarylocking-bolt and having an set my hand.

aperture of a diameter larger than the diame- ANSLEY H. FOX.

ter of the trip and spring and open entirely Witnesses:

through to the bottom, and removable means W. L. CORNELL,

for sealing the bottom of the said aperture ROY HITOI-INER.

